Whale entanglement

Figure App.C.4.10b.. A figure showing confirmed entanglement reports of humpback (blue), gray (green), blue (dark blue), and unidentified (orange) whales along the West Coast from 2000 - 2019.

Figure App.C.4.10b.. A figure showing confirmed entanglement reports of humpback (blue), gray (green), blue (dark blue), and unidentified (orange) whales along the West Coast from 2000 - 2019.

Click for Details Annual number of large whale entanglements reported along the U.S. West Coast. Reports of entanglements have increased in recent years. Factors contributing to this trend likely include an increasing overlap of whale activities (e.g., migrating, feeding) with human activities that have the potential to entangle whales (e.g., fishing, buoy installation) and an increase in on-the-water observers likely to report entangled individuals (e.g., whale watching, recreational boating). Confirmed entanglements from 2000 to 2019 of gray and humpback whales include 11 from Santa Barbara and two from Ventura counties. Figure: D. Lawson/NMFS WCRO PRD
Overlap with Fishing
Blue
Figure App.C.4.11a.. A map showing the risk posed to blue whales from 11 fixed gear fisheries (a type of commercial fishing) in the Southern California Bight.

Figure App.C.4.11a.. A map showing the risk posed to blue whales from 11 fixed gear fisheries (a type of commercial fishing) in the Southern California Bight.

Click for Details Co-occurrence score (risk) based on multi-year average whale density and fishing effort for 11 fisheries is shown for quarters three (Q3) and four (Q4) for blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus). In Santa Barbara from July to December, there is an elevated risk area for multiple whale species with the California halibut/white seabass set gillnet, hagfish trap, rock crab trap, sablefish, spiny lobster trap, and spot prawn trap fisheries. Figure: Saez et al. 2013
Fin
Figure App.C.4.11b.. A map showing the risk posed to fin whales from 11 fixed gear fisheries (a type of commercial fishing) in the Southern California Bight.

Figure App.C.4.11b.. A map showing the risk posed to fin whales from 11 fixed gear fisheries (a type of commercial fishing) in the Southern California Bight.

Click for Details Co-occurrence score (risk) based on multi-year average whale density and fishing effort for 11 fisheries is shown for quarters three (Q3) and four (Q4) fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus). In Santa Barbara from July to December, there is an elevated risk area for multiple whale species with the California halibut/white seabass set gillnet, hagfish trap, rock crab trap, sablefish, spiny lobster trap, and spot prawn trap fisheries. Figure: Saez et al. 2013
Humpback
Figure App.C.4.11c.. A map showing the risk posed to humpback whales from 11 fixed gear fisheries (a type of commercial fishing) in the Southern California Bight.

Figure App.C.4.11c.. A map showing the risk posed to humpback whales from 11 fixed gear fisheries (a type of commercial fishing) in the Southern California Bight.

Click for Details Co-occurrence score (risk) based on multi-year average whale density and fishing effort for 11 fisheries is shown for quarters three (Q3) and four (Q4) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). In Santa Barbara from July to December, there is an elevated risk area for multiple whale species with the California halibut/white seabass set gillnet, hagfish trap, rock crab trap, sablefish, spiny lobster trap, and spot prawn trap fisheries. Figure: Saez et al. 2013